#StartupLessons

[blakerangi]

You can either train people to work remotely or hire those who already passed the test. TDZ Pro does the latter

[ankitparmar09]

Failure = The Best Teacher Not every product succeeds. But every failure leaves behind a lesson.

In my latest video, I break down some of the biggest product flops—and the key takeaways they offer: ↳ Know your audience – If your product doesn’t fit their needs, it won’t take off. ↳ Keep it simple – Overcomplicated designs push users away. ↳ Listen to feedback – Ignoring users is a recipe for disaster. ↳ Never underestimate the competition – If you’re not adapting, you’re falling behind. Failures aren’t the end. They’re stepping stones to success. Watch the full video and learn how to build better products! What’s a failed product that taught you something? Drop it in the comments.

[cathrynlavery]

How Four Companies Turned Resource Control Into Market Monopolies

In the business world, timing is valuable—but control is everything.

While many companies chase innovation and marketing brilliance, the savviest players have discovered another route to market dominance: owning the supply chain.

Whether it's plastic pumps or memory chips, the most genius business strategies haven’t focused on making better products—they’ve focused on ensuring that competitors can’t make any products at all.

The Strategic Blueprint

When David Protein acquired EPG’s sole producer and shut out the competition, he wasn’t inventing a new tactic—he was following in the footsteps of some of the smartest supply chain plays in history.

Here are three other legendary cases where supply control turned into market control:

The Pump Heist: Softsoap vs. Big Soap (1980)

Imagine launching a new product—liquid soap—while giants like Procter & Gamble loom large.

Robert Taylor’s answer?

Buy every plastic pump in the U.S.—100 million units for $12 million.

While corporate behemoths scrambled for overseas suppliers, Softsoap rocketed to $25 million in sales in just six months.

By the time competitors caught up, Taylor had made Softsoap a household name.

The result? In 1987, Colgate-Palmolive bought Softsoap for $61 million, turning that bold pump move into a 5X return.

The Billion-Dollar Bet by Apple (2005)

Steve Jobs saw that the booming iPod demand had one Achilles’ heel: flash memory.

His move?

Apple prepaid $1.25 billion to secure flash memory from every major supplier—Samsung, Toshiba, Intel, Micron, and Hynix—locking up global supply through 2010.

This wasn’t just component purchasing—it was future-proofing.

As rivals struggled to find chips, Apple produced 30 million iPods, solidifying its dominance. At the time, it was the largest prepayment in consumer electronics history.

Battery Hog: Elon Musk with Tesla (2004–2020s)

Elon Musk didn’t just want battery supply—he wanted battery supremacy.

Tesla teamed up with Panasonic and invested billions to build the Gigafactory, creating an exclusive, vertically integrated supply line.

At one point, this single Nevada plant produced more lithium-ion batteries than the rest of the world combined.

While traditional automakers hunted for suppliers, Tesla had locked down Panasonic’s best tech—giving it a five-year EV head start.

The Fat Replacer Monopoly by David Protein (2024)

EPG is a revolutionary plant-based fat substitute—same flavor, fewer calories. When David Protein took over Epogee, the only company producing EPG, he didn’t just buy a supplier.

He bought control over an entire category.

Suddenly, rival snack brands were hit with canceled shipments. Protein had already stockpiled two years’ worth of inventory, and now, he held the keys to "healthy indulgence" snacks.

An antitrust case is underway—but litigation takes time. Until it’s resolved, they control the ingredient, and by extension, the industry.

Conclusion

These four stories reveal a powerful truth: market domination isn’t always about the best product—it’s often about the smartest control of resources.

Whether it’s pumps, chips, batteries, or niche ingredients, owning critical supply chains can turn bold moves into billion-dollar wins.

David Protein’s recent play shows this strategy is still going strong in 2024—proving that sometimes, the best way to win is to make sure your rivals can’t even compete.

👉 https://cathrynlavery.com/

[noahberkson]

When Rejection Becomes Protection: A Startup Lesson

Every entrepreneur faces rejection, but not every rejection tells the same story. Sometimes what feels like a devastating “no” in the moment reveals itself as a blessing in disguise. This is the story of how one investor’s deceptive behavior taught me that some rejections are actually protection.

The Setup

In one of my first businesses, we were almost out of money. An investor who had been stringing us along for months invited us to a steak dinner to discuss the terms of his investment.

We never would have chosen this restaurant, and my partner and I tried to order the cheapest thing on the menu.

Red Flags in Plain Sight

The evening should have been a celebration of our upcoming partnership. Instead, it became a masterclass in recognizing red flags.

While we carefully selected the most affordable options, conscious of our dwindling funds, our potential investor showed no such restraint.

Moment of Truth

When the bill came, the investor said, “How do you wanna do this?” dropped a $50 bill on the table, and left in his $200,000 car.

His steak alone was $49.99.

Unsurprisingly, he never invested in our company.

Conclusion

This experience taught me that some rejections are protection in disguise. The investor who seemed like our salvation would have likely brought more problems than solutions.

In fact, a couple of years ago, I saw an article about him being sued by the federal government for massive tax fraud.

In that moment, everything clicked into place. What had felt like rejection was actually protection.

For more entrepreneurial stories and insights, visit https://noahberkson.com.

[zaramercer11]

Why “Remote Work Freedom” Might Be Destroying Your Mind (And How TDZ PRO Turned It Into an Asset)

It’s not that remote work is broken. It’s that we entered it unprepared.

[michbrowning86]

That one $25 monthly fee for an unused license? Multiply it by 100 people. That’s why TDZ PRO watches every cent.

[imaniglover]

No more faking success. TDZ PRO went through hell, then climbed back out.

[laurenrichards04]

Remote life taught me that distraction is the new addiction.

[james007anthony]

Ashkan Rajaee: What Remote Founders Can Learn from 20 Years of Hard-Won Lessons

[itsurankit]

I ignored my co-founder’s red flags because I was desperate. And it cost me millions.

The emotional blindness of early partnerships can break you into pieces. I learned this the hard way.

1. When I started my #startup back in 2015, I was hungry. Being young with ideas, visions I was hungry, desperate to launch, desperate to prove myself.

We pushed forward, bootstrapped then raised funds privately, and scaled fast. Six months in, vendors, employees weren’t getting paid.

- Clients were ghosting. - He’d taken money out behind my back.

He had shady money habits, "avoided eye contact during tough conversations", and gave 'vague answers' about the future. Obviously he had merits and seemed like a good fit (charming, confident, and full of big ideas), that's why we aligned in the first place.

I knew. I knew. But I convinced myself it was just early-stage chaos. Then my understanding of people, market was very limited.

- It cost me millions: Not just in cash only—but in trust you lose, confidence you'd with people around you, and time I’ll never get back.

2. Red flags don’t disappear just because you want them to.

To pursue the vision, I ignored the cracks. Desperation clouded my judgment, because I needed this to work.

- The excuses: They’ll grow into the role. - The denial: It’s just early-stage chaos. I might be overthinking. - The cost: Millions. Time. Peace. Emotional damage.

3. Here’s what I learned the hard way: – Never build with someone you wouldn’t trust with your darkest day. Trust your gut.

– Watch how people act when pressure hits. That’s the real them. Check their track record, don't be blind about it. – Desperation is the most expensive emotion in business. Desperation is a trap. It makes you cling to the wrong people sometimes.

If you're in a partnership that feels off... Get honest. Then get out before it costs you everything.

*Lesson: If you’re making excuses for someone before you even start, you’re not building a company—you’re adopting a problem.

**Hard truth: Better alone than badly accompanied. Go slow if that's the only option.

What’s the worst partnership mistake you’ve made?

[fellington21]

The remote dream looks better on Instagram. Reality? Not always so pretty.

[digitalagencyrichatejwani]

Why most Startups fail at Advertising and how to avoid it.

[keeyomiuno]

How Talking to Users Can Make or Break Your Startup

Hello, my Keyomi’s! What’s up, you guys?

When it comes to building a startup, having a great idea isn’t enough—you need to validate it. This week, I dove into the importance of talking to users, and let me tell you, it was an eye-opener. Many startups fail not because they lack passion or resources, but because they don’t understand what their users actually want.

One of the most important takeaways from this lesson was The Mom Test—a simple but powerful concept that helps entrepreneurs get honest feedback instead of polite compliments. The biggest mistake we make when asking for opinions is asking, “Do you think my idea is good?” Of course, people (especially friends and family) will say yes because they don’t want to hurt our feelings. But that’s not useful. Instead, we should ask questions that focus on their real experiences, such as “When was the last time you faced this problem?," “How do you currently solve it?," and “Have you ever paid for a similar solution?". This type actions instead of hypothetical future behavior, we get real insights that help us refine or even pivot our idea before investing too much time and money.

Asking the right questions during user interviews is also crucial. If I ask someone, “Would you use this product?”, they might say yes out of politeness, but that doesn’t mean they will. Instead, I should ask, “How are you solving this problem right now?” or “Can you walk me through a recent experience where this issue occurred?” This strategy ensures I gather genuine insights into user behavior and pain points. Observing what people do rather than what they say is far more valuable in determining whether an idea has potential.

Another major takeaway is that validating an idea should come before building the product. Many startups fail because they invest time and resources in developing something that people don’t actually need. Instead, a smarter approach is to test interest early by conducting interviews, creating surveys, or launching a simple landing page to gauge demand. By doing this, I can ensure that I am building something that solves a real problem.

Overall, this learning experience has changed my perspective on starting a business. I now understand that success isn’t about having a great idea—it’s about solving a real problem backed by data and user insights. By focusing on conversations with users, asking the right questions, and validating before building, I can make informed decisions that increase the chances of success in any entrepreneurial venture.

Here's the link to the lecture if want to have the same impact with, Keyomi's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTEj2I74F-Q

[adapasrinivas]

Ready to take your business from Zero to One? 🚀 Start thinking differently today!

Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and a visionary venture capitalist, shares invaluable lessons in his book Zero to One—a must-read for every aspiring entrepreneur. 🌟

1️⃣ 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀

Create something NEW instead of copying existing ideas.

Monopolies drive innovation, while competition stifles growth.

Start small by dominating a niche market first.

2️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀

Seek out hidden opportunities others overlook.

Build proprietary tech that’s 10x better than alternatives.

Create a strong team culture for long-term success.

3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀

Monopolies = innovation + sustainability.

Think of Google and Tesla as prime examples.

Make a product so good that no one else can compete.

4️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

Look 10-20 years ahead and imagine the possibilities.

Solve problems no one else is tackling.

Shape the future by building what doesn’t yet exist.

5️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀

Competition is for losers—stand out in your space.

Scale sustainably with a clear strategy.

Being the first mover only works if you keep innovating.

✨ What bold move will you make to take your business from Zero to One? Let us know in the comments!